


Aging with Oblivion

by Betterbegryffindor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Development, Depression, F/M, Family, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-29
Updated: 2013-07-29
Packaged: 2017-12-21 17:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/902765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betterbegryffindor/pseuds/Betterbegryffindor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His acute depression has somehow become George Weasley's life since May 2nd, 1998. He feels that the loss of Fred is slowly consuming him. It wasn't until Angelina Johnson landed suddenly and uncertainly in his life that he started to show any improvements. Now, married to the woman he loves and with two loving children, George hopes Fred is proud of him, wherever he is. Because George may be struggling; but at least he's trying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aging with Oblivion

**Author's Note:**

> So, hi there! This story was based on another version I wrote on my FFnet account (which you can check out [here](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7203847/1/A-Happy-Ending-for-George)). As my love for George Weasley knows no limits, I decided to start something new, more canon. At that time, I didn't ship George/Angelina, but now I'd like to explore their struggle after the loss of Fred, and all that. Also, some fluffy family moments as well, because I love Fred II and Roxane :D I hope to continue this, I don't know exactly where I'm going with it, but I'm excited! And hopefully you'll like it? Idk.
> 
> I was writing this while listening to Oblivion, by Bastille, which happens to be a perfect song for this situation, and it inspired the title of the story. That's it, really. Lots of hugs, lovelies! xxx

May 2nd. What a nightmare of a day.

Every wizard and witch was out on the streets, cheering for the anniversary of the end of the Second Wizarding War. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade were crowded. There was a joyful aura in the air. Everyone was so happy.

… _everyone_ , except for a bitter red-headed, middle-aged man, alone in his home, with a peculiar sweater with the letter F stamped on it.

 _Bloody hell_ , George thought, _it’s been ten years._

The first year after the war had been George’s hardest obstacle. He went to live back at The Burrow then. He wouldn’t have made it by himself. And, apart for doing his basic needs and going to work, he never left his bed. He fell ill on the first week. There were days on which he had no strength whatsoever to get out of bed by morning, so Ron had to take care of the store for him. Bless him, his help had been essential to George.

He could tell that everyone was afraid that he’d never get over it. Even George himself feared that this depression would eventually kill him. In some days, he wished it would. In others, he struggled to keep going.

There were days on which he hated Fred. They came into the world together, they were supposed to leave together. It wasn’t fair. He’d left George all alone with a hole in his heart that would never be filled again. And there were also days on which George cried like a baby, wanting to join his brother so badly. Those were the most frequent.

His family had been his salvation. His parents, his brothers and his brother-in-law, his sister and his sisters-in-law had supported him so much. Also Lee Jordan, his good friend from Hogwarts. He’d never be grateful enough. If it wasn’t for them, he’d sure have done something terrible to himself by now.

But it was not until Angelina Johnson came along that George showed any bigger improvements.

On the battle’s first anniversary, Angelina asked George out for a coffee at Diagon Alley. They hadn’t seen or talked to one another since the previous year, when they’d comforted each other after the battle. She claimed she just wanted them both to have some support that day.

But when they saw each other, everything changed. She, a stunning and elegant Ministry worker, and he, a redhead, owner of a successful joke shop, saw in each other something they hadn’t seen before. Their coffee ended with a kiss that later led to the beginning of a relationship.

Many had been against their dating. The most frequent allegations were that he and Angelina would never be truly happy, that their relationship was not healthy, that both she and George wanted to replace Fred and that was the only bind that united them.

In the beginning, George must admit that it was indeed their only bind. It was not until six months of dating that they learned that their really didn’t love _each other_. They loved _Fred_. George’s feelings over her were purely protective, because she had been Fred’s.

Not to mention that George feared he was stealing her from Fred, that his brother wouldn’t forgive him if he dated her.

They decided to stay separated indefinitely, to understand their feelings. In the meantime, George dated Verity, his old employee. She was a sweet girl and she kept George happy for a couple of months, but… they never really connected.

After a year, George decided to call Angelina again. He picked her up at the Ministry of Magic after her work and they had a very long talk about everything left in doubt. They made the decision of restart dating. And they promised each other just to see what that would lead them. Let things set their own course. To just let themselves get carried away.

In the years that followed, they realized how effective that talk had been. That had cleared out their feelings about each other and about Fred. George finally admitted to himself that Fred wouldn’t be jealous; he’d want George and Angelina to be happy. And if they were happy together, that was even better. After all, the two people Fred loved the most now loved each other. What could be more perfect than that?

And now, George and Angelina didn’t feel the pressure of working out for Fred’s sake. Once they started spending time with each other just for the pure pleasure of enjoying each other’s company, their love grew deeper and truer.

They eventually decided to get married.

Speaking frankly, George had known all along that Angelina was the one. Deep down, he just knew. When he was with her, his heart didn’t hurt, he didn’t get depressed and Fred’s absence was almost bearable. Their love for Fred had been what had started their love for each other. At first there were doubts, yes, but their love was pure. He knew that almost no one believed that, but _they_ believed, so that was what mattered. Also, since George was happy for the first time since May 2nd, 1998, his family didn’t feel like arguing.

And that was when George felt like living again. Not that he didn’t miss Fred. He did. A lot. How couldn’t he? There was not a single day on which he didn’t miss Fred. But it just got less impossible to endure. He and Angelina overcame their difficulties together.

But George still had problems with “The Date.”

He sat in the dark reviving all that inside his head. Like every May 2nd they had spent together, George had asked Angelina to take a walk with the kids after he arrived from work. He didn’t want them to be around in case he had a breakdown.

The kids. They were George’s greatest joy. His first-born was named Fred II. He was so much alike his namesake, looks and personality speaking, that George couldn’t be more proud. Roxanne, Fred II’s younger sister, was George’s baby girl. She also had Fred’s personality, but looked physically like Angelina, with darker skin and chocolate hair.

By now, little Fred was four years old, while his sister had just turned two. Fred had developed the habit of pulling pranks on Roxy, who usually responded by hitting him with those toddler hands.

George chuckled at the thought, finally coming back to the present. Today was May 2nd, 2008, he remembered. Ten years had passed. George sat alone at his dark living room, not bothering to turn any lights on. He and his family currently lived in a small house in Tutshill, a village in the West Country of England. It was near enough of most of his relatives’ houses, in case something happened. George liked in here; it was a quiet neighborhood.

He looked at his watch. Angelina and the kids would be back in an hour at most. _Time to pull yourself together, man,_ George imagined Fred saying. _Take that butt out of that chair and go do something._

George got up of the couch and walked slowly to the bathroom. He washed his face with cold water and looked at his reflection on the mirror. Sometimes he forgot there had been ten years without Fred already, but the man staring back at him didn’t let him lie. The weight of the years and the loss was all over him. There he was, a man bordering on thirty years old, but he somehow looked so much older than that. His red Weasley hair seemed to have lost some of its color, having grown so much it was even covering the hole he had for a left ear. His face was entirely ghastly, almost making his freckles disappear.

 _How did I come to this?_ George thought to himself. _How come I neglected myself so much?_

He was going to get a haircut tomorrow, he decided. He could ask one of his brothers to do it, or he could go to a Muggle barber, he didn’t care. And his sudden motivation required a warm, renewing shower.

 _Well, finally,_ Fred would say. _Seriously, it took you ten years to realize you need an extreme makeover? I thought nothing could be worse than your “holey” joke._

After the shower, George got back to his room, a towel around his waist. He carefully folded Fred’s sweater and put it in his wardrobe with the rest of Fred’s clothes that George had kept for himself. He changed into his own clothes this time, something he hadn’t done probably since 1998.

Then, he set to work. He prepared dinner – or, at least, summoned a few things from The Burrow. He was sure his mother wouldn’t mind –, set the table and even cleaned up the house. (Magic certainly did save a lot of time).

George was just putting the Sheperd’s pie on the table when the door was opened with violence. Hurricane Fred Weasley II had arrived.

The red-headed boy ran across the entire house before jumping onto his father’s back, practically yelling about how great his day had been.

“Hey, calm down, little man.” George laughed. “I can’t keep up with you.”

“Daddy, daddy!” Roxy reached up, her little hands asking for George, jumping up and down with impatience.

“Oh, look at my baby girl!” He picked her up, now with both of his children hanging onto him. Fred ran his curious fingers across his father’s hair, while Roxy kept hitting him on the face.

Angelina had stayed by the door, just watching the scene and laughing. George eyed her and automatically smiled. The sight of his wife did that to him every time, no exceptions.

“Only you are missing from this picture,” George said, struggling to keep his children in balance and concentrating on not falling at the same time, but he managed a smirk towards his wife.

Angelina shook her head, the corners of her mouth curled up. She locked the door and finally approached, setting her wand down planting a kiss on her husband’s lips.

“We went to your mother’s today,” she told him. “We planned for everyone to come to dinner on Saturday.”

“Perfect,” George said, setting both of his children down. They proceeded with running around the house. He wrapped his arms around Angelina.

“How’s your day been?” she asked. “Everything okay?”

George smiled. “I’m great, Angel. In fact, I’m wearing my own clothes tonight. And I’m totally getting a haircut.”

Angelina laughed, messing up George’s shaggy red hair. “Oh, thank Merlin. I hate your hair like that.” At the sight of her husband’s outraged face, she kissed him once again. “But I learned to love it. Just like the rest of you. And I’m so proud.”

George kissed her right back. Their faces almost touching, he asked in a whisper: “Are you hungry, Mrs. Weasley? I made dinner.”

“Of course you did,” Angelina said sarcastically. “Molly must be missing some food tonight.” She smiled. “I’m eager to taste what you ‘prepared’, though.”

George playfully turned her around, pulled the chair for her and let her sit down.

“Hey, kids!” he called. “Who wants Sheperd’s pie?”

There were two squeals of delight as the two little kids ran and jumped on their chairs, nearly knocking the entire table down.

“Calmly!” George said. “Or you’ll drop Daddy’s dinner!”

“The dinner Daddy had _so_ much trouble to make,” Angelina mocked.

“Okay, now, don’t you listen to Mummy, children,” George told his kids. “She just wants to make Daddy look bad.”

Angelina laughed. “Why, but you don’t need me for that.”

“Yeah, but I need you for everything else.” That made Angelina smile cockily, which caused George shake his head. “You know, you’re a very conceited person, Angelina Weasley.”

“You mean, like you?” She smirked.

George smirked back. “It’s in moments like this that I feel more certain than ever that I made the right choice.”

She blew him a kiss from across the table. “Always a pleasure to remind you of that, honey.”

“Enough talking!” Fred decreed, kneeling on the chair. “I want my pie!”

“Pie!” Roxy agreed, bumping her tiny fist on the table.

That made George and Angelina laugh. They served their children and then themselves, holding their hands under the table while they ate.

In that moment, George Weasley was truly happy. Even though it was May 2nd, even though Fred had left him for ten years, he felt like he had people that were worth living a while longer for. He was sure Fred would understand that.

 _Mischief Managed, bro,_ George prayed. _Hope you’ve been causing a heck of a trouble in this past ten years where you are. Love you forever._


End file.
